Marketing Effectiveness: Facebook vs. LinkedIn
Lately, I’ve been trying to expand my presence on LinkedIn, as someone suggested it might be a better place for me to build my client base. I’m definitely making a few connections there, simply by commenting on posts, but it’ll take awhile for me to feel comfortable there. At the moment, I feel more like a guest at a party where I don’t know anyone except maybe the host. My normal introverted behavior in that scenario is to get a glass of something so I can keep my hands busy while standing in a corner watching the crowd, and maybe adding a few characters to my mental file cabinet.
Every so often, I’ll see something I can intelligently comment on, and have received some positive feedback as well as a couple of connection requests for my effort. In the process, I’m learning a few things as well.
I’ve only joined a couple of groups so far; groups I feel might be a potential avenue for my services once I’ve gotten known, which I know can take awhile. I have noticed other copywriters in the groups who may have been there awhile and are already making some of the connections I seek. Their presence is an opportunity for me to observe what works, and also what doesn’t.
One Person’s Sales…
The toughest part of frequenting the LinkedIn groups, at least from my standpoint is the high 
number of ads posted by the members. Personally, I find them neither useful nor informative. In their defense, I suppose they wouldn’t keep posting them (some in multiple groups) if they weren’t seeing some kind of return on their investment. To me, it leans too heavily towards the pushy salesmanship that doesn’t work for me.
Still, when someone whose methods I typically admire bombards me with emails and posts for their latest program, I might feel a little twitchy, but more accepting of the increased attention. I know it’s a situational thing, and will soon be gone and their messaging will return to normal. It leads me to believe those who are inundating LinkedIn groups with their full-color ads and promotions have done the work to establish a presence there before going into full-on sales mode. And yes, I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt, but more because I’m fairly new to the game, and have no idea where they started or how they got to where they are now.
Over the last few years, I’ve become somewhat cynical towards people who insist they’re making “6 figures” (though why that seems to be their measure of success escapes me) yet need to bombard people in social media groups and emails as avidly and frequently as those who are trying to build their business. Despite the claims, I sense a desperation I suspect they don’t intend.
How is Success Perceived?
I guess what I’m saying is, if someone is as successful as they claim, wouldn’t they have something in place that continues to fill their pipeline organically without having to launch aggressive campaigns several times a year? Granted, this could simply be my ignorance of marketing talking. Still, I’d think their goal, like mine would be to create a product or service for a community that is ultimately self-sustaining. In other words, it would require minimal effort to keep the orders coming in.
Am I naive in my belief this is not only possible but likely? Is there ever a point where visibility and responsiveness are sufficient to maintain a well-established marketing engine? Many people love the marketing aspect of their business, but I’m guessing more of us don’t, and would be happy if we didn’t have to keep pushing ourselves on people to make another sale or engage another client.
Admittedly, I have a great deal to learn about marketing, relationship or otherwise. As I continue to work my way through LeadsLab, it’s humbling to see how many tasks I can’t complete because I lack history in one area or another. The truth is, I am still defining not only myself, but what it is I do for other people, and how it improves their lives.
Silencing the Nagging Little Voices
Imposter syndrome and insecurity are quick to dive in and smother all the positive feedback I’ve 
gotten for my work, both what I write for myself and others. For every “wow! You really nailed my voice!” I hear, my inner voice has a “yeah, but” it adds in an effort to diminish the feeling of euphoria I get for excelling at what I do.
The answer here is simple, and one many people I talk to face as well. I need to keep reminding myself my gut is far more reliable than those nagging voices. As I read some of the more sales-y pieces in those LinkedIn groups, I need to trust those people spent a lot of time getting known and accepted before they started posting their promotions. They trusted their gut, silenced the dissenting voices, and dove in with both feet.
The people I know, like, and trust who periodically launch aggressive promotions know exactly what they’re doing. They are setting an example for me and others like me who have yet to master the intricacies of marketing; who are dog paddling around in the pool, learning to trust the ability to float, and later, swim with the bigger fish. It’s all a process, and though I may not perform the steps in the same order as someone else, some tasks have to be completed before others can begin.
Looking Back to Move Forward
I’m still fighting my frustrations over my seeming lack of progress. I have to remember to look back once in awhile to remind myself how far I’ve actually come. Then I can proceed with more confidence, knowing I really am learning a few things along the way, and they’re starting to come together and give me tools I, at once point thought I’d never acquire.
Where do you get stuck and frustrated? Are you being too hard on yourself? Can you look back and see the progress you’ve made? If I’ve learned nothing else, it’s that I can learn whatever I set my mind to, but I have to eliminate “I can’t” and “I’m not good at…” from my vocabulary in order to make any progress.
About the Author
Sheri Conaway is a writer, blogger, ghostwriter, and an advocate for cats and mental health. Sheri 
believes in the Laws of Attraction, but only if you are a participant rather than just an observer. Her mission is to Make Vulnerable Beautiful and help entrepreneurs touch the souls of their readers and clients so they can increase their impact and their income. If you’d like to have her write for you, please visit her Hire Me page for more information. You can also find her on Facebook Sheri Levenstein-Conaway Author. And check out her new group, Putting Your Whole Heart Forward.
Be sure to watch this space for news of the upcoming releases of ” Rebuilding After Suicide” and “Sasha’s Journey”.
